UFC's Faber awaits next assignment, no preference on Cruz vs. Barao

Urijah Faber is as sick talking about potential title shots as you are hearing about it, but when you’re the clear No. 1 contender behind the the current and interim champ, the questions are still going to be asked.

Faber (28-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) solidified his standing as the best UFC bantamweight without a belt this past weekend by defeating Scott Jorgensen (14-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale. In Saturday’s FX-televised headliner, Faber scored a fourth-round submission victory. He’s now 4-2 in the UFC, and the lone losses came to reigning champion Dominick Cruz and interim titleholder Renan Barao.

Barao has an upcoming title fight with Eddie Wineland at UFC 161 in June, and Cruz is still on the mend following knee surgery and hoping for a return later this year. Most consider a Barao vs. Cruz title-unification bout inevitable (though Wineland is a very live underdog), and with Faber planning a small break after his latest fight, the timing could be right for him to meet the winner.

Still, when it comes to a preferred next opponent, Faber doesn’t have one. He’s just waiting for the bosses’ call.

“I don’t care,” he said after Saturday’s fight. “I’m doing this because I love it. I do whatever these guys say – basically whatever these guys want.”

Faber’s beef with Cruz, whom he’s 1-1 against, is well-documented. The former WEC fighters even had a humorous this weekend during the post-TUF 17 Finale show on FUEL TV, for which Cruz was serving as an analysis. Against, Barao, though, Faber has no personal issues.

So it may seem Faber is hoping for the trilogy fight with Cruz. After all, it was planned for this past year after their coaching stints on “TUF 15,” but Cruz’s injury forced a cancellation.

Faber, though, is equally intrigued by a rematch with Barao. He suffered a decision loss to in an interim title fight with the Brazilian when the Cruz fight was scrapped. And at some point, Faber even expects another fight with Jorgensen.

“Of course I’d rather punch Dominick in the face, but Barao is one of the guys who has earned his spot,” Faber said. “The guy’s on the biggest win streak in UFC history, and I think it was an uneventful fight last time, and I’d like to make it more eventful. That means getting a little more crazy in there. He did a good job of slowing me down last time.

“Dom actually moves a lot more but was actually easier for me to hit and do damage to than Barao. So I don’t know. It’s one of those things that I’ll probably fight both of them eventually anyway. I’m just going to kick back, relax and reminisce about the good old days with Scotty, and hopefully I’ll meet him in the finals for a belt one day too.”

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.